20.2.10

Sixteen-year old Casey has been denied his request to move away from his allegedly abusive father and move to his mother%u2019s house. His mother, Rondi Anderson, is threatened with jail time if his does not return.

Since being made case management judge in 2002 and following reports made by Ms. Anderson and her sons, ages 7 and 8, that the boys were being abused while in their father%u2019s care. Justice Darlene Acton made a ruling that the father of Casey and his younger brother should be awarded sole custody and that their mother, Rondi Anderson, should have no contact with her boys whatsoever.

Recently Casey was brought to his mother%u2019s residence when the police arrived after an assault on Casey by his father who had punched Casey in the face, kicked him in the head, and beaten him relentlessly. Once with his mother, Casey told her that this abuse was ongoing. He told Rondi that for years the boys had been told by their father and other relatives that she was an unfit mother. Casey reported his younger brother, his dad%u2019s new wife, and her five-year old daughter, were all victims of abuse by his father as well.

Casey told his mother that he had been drinking heavily and taking drugs since he was twelve years old. He also reported that he had been suspended from school twelve times in junior high for drug use, counterfeiting, and other behavioral issues. When Casey was returned to his mother, he had not been taken to the dentist since she had last taken him and his brother in May 2004. In 2002, Judge Acton had (upon the father%u2019s request) ordered that Rondi not be allowed to take the children to any doctor nor have access to school or school records.

Since Casey has been living with his mother, he has been attending school regularly and is currently on the honor roll. While maintaining his grades, Casey also holds down a part-time job at a nearby restaurant. Casey says that he now feels safe, happy, and loved. Yet, when Casey filed a motion asking the judge that he no longer be forced to live with his father, and asking that he be allowed to reside with his mother, the judge denied the motion and ordered that Casey be immediately returned to his father. Upon hearing of the judge%u2019s ruling, Casey contacted Social Services, who admitted that while they have enough proof that Casey%u2019s father is abusive, they cannot go against the judge. Child Protective Services has currently turned the case over to a supervisor.

Meanwhile, Casey%u2019s father%u2019s attorney called for a secret hearing on this coming Tuesday, February 23. It has been threatened, and is likely that, as in the past, Ms. Anderson will be jailed if she is unable to force her sixteen-year old son to return to his father. It is also possible that Casey may even be jailed as well. We are asking that the proper authorities open an investigation of this case and that Casey be allowed to reside with his mother while such an investigation is ongoing. It is unclear as to why, when legitimate concerns of abuse were raised by Rondi and her sons, that all of Ms. Anderson%u2019s parental rights were suddenly terminated. It is also unclear as to why, especially given the incidents surrounding and leading up to a sixteen-year old%u2019s return to his mother that his request be denied without question.

For years Ms. Anderson has exhausted her resources in fighting for the welfare of her sons, and now when one of the sons is of a reasonable age to decide where he would like to live, his desires are not even taken into consideration. We are asking that this young man be granted the right to choose where he wishes to live, and that the welfare of his younger brother who still remains in his father%u2019s care, be seriously investigated. We are asking that the opinions of Social Services be heavily weighed in this case, and that these inexcusable decisions made by Justice Darlene Acton over the past eight years, which have so dramatically affected the lives of these two boys, be seriously questioned. Also, that Judge Acton be held accountable for what appears to be a critical mishandling of justice and blatant abuse of her authority.